Help needed for monarch butterfly count

Do you live, work or play within a mile of the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico? Are you interested in contributing to solving one of the mysteries about monarch butterflies?

Volunteers are needed to participate in the Northern Gulf Coast Monarch Over-Wintering Count along the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico during the months of January and February. Participants should reside or spend part of most weeks within a mile of the Gulf Coast.

The count is designed to begin to gather data to answer the question of “Do monarch butterflies over-winter along the northern Gulf Coast?” Many people have said they have seen monarchs along this coast in January or February, but currently there is little or no data to verify whether this is a rare or consistent happening.

The project is directed by Richard Rubino, who will be working closely with David Cook, current director of the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge Fall Monarch Migration Tagging Project, and Ron Nelson, who manages the Eden Spring Monarch Migration Augmentation Project in Tallahassee.

Attend a free workshop on Thursday, Jan. 24 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Apalachicola Reserve Nature Center, 100 Island Drive, Eastpoint. No pre-registration necessary.

For questions about workshop call 670-7700.